Lubricating oil gauge



July l0, 1934. L. C. Rl'l-NQUR. l' 1,965,781

LUBRICATING OIL GAUGE Filed Feb. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l man:

ro mmm/resse /l Inventor July 10, 1934. Q RlTNOUR '1,965,781

v LUBRICATINC- OILGAUGE Filed Feb. 25, 1952 2 sheets-snaai 2.

, 2d v @o0 Inventor www@ 2 llomey Patented July 1o, 1934` e UNITED STATES PATENT IOFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an accessory adapted to be incorporated inthe ol circulating system of present day motor vehicles and constructed to function as a gauge or indicator for determining the quality of the oil, whereby to notify the car owner when to changewthe oil.

'Ihe improved gauge is of a type and construction for utilizing the viscosity of the oil as`a determining factor to show when the oil has been divested of its body and desirable lubricating` properties. v

In carrying the inventive conception into practice I have discovered and utilized an arrangement wherein the degree of fluidity is the dependent factor in determining the viscosity of) Vthe'oil whereby, through the medium of an appropriate gauge it may be readilyldetermined if the oil is good, fair", poo or of a dangerous quality.

Inthe drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in section end elevation illustrating the complete ensemble as developed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is ya horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailgsection showing the re- 1 movable base or bottom.

As seen in Figure 1, I utilize a duplex or double cylinder arrangement which includes a lower main cylinder 4 and a vertically alined upper auxiliary cylinder 5. These are of uniform capacity and are joined together so as to be in communication through the medium of a restricted neck 6. Attached to the top of the auxiliary cylinder is a delivery pipe 7 for introducing the oil into the cylinder from the oil pump (not shown). Justl below this is another pipe 8 which leads back to the crank case to provide an overflow for the cylinder 5 and also 40 means for maintaining a constant head of oil in this cylinder. I also provide two pipes for the main cylinder 4, the upper one being distinguished by the numeral 9 and serving as an overow pipe to lead back to the crank case while the lower or primary one 10 is a direct feed back -to the crank case. The lower cylinder 4 is divided by a partition 1l into upper and lower compartments 12 and 13 respectively. As seen in Figure 3 the lower compartment has a removable ilanged bottom 14 held in place by attaching screws 15 passing through the wall of the cylinder and through the flange of the bottom. The bottom is also formed with a handle 16 to facilitate application and removal.

The partition is in the nature of ascreen or interceptor for the oil which enters cylinder 4 and it includes a stationary apertured disk 17 and a relatively adjustable movable disk 18 superimposed thereon. "I'he disk 18 is turnable and provided with a suitable handle 19 for accom- 60 plishing this result after removal `o1 the bottom 14. Moreover it 'is formed with a'marginal segment 20 having an arcuate slot 21 cooperating with a set screw 22 which is so adjusted prior to the installation of the partition as to offer a resistance to the'rotation of the disk 18 to assist in holding the disk in an adjustable position and at the same time permitting the disk to be turned through the medium of the handle'19 to change the adjustment thereof. Both disks are. formed with apertures which may be brought into complete registry or part registry with each other to regulate the passage of oil through the partition .from the upper compartment 12 into the lower compartment 13 or vice versa. Leading 75 from the side of the upper compartment 12 is a pressure pipe 23 whoseupstanding branch 24 is connected with a mercury gauge 25 having. a dial provided with suitable indicia indicating the goodstherefor and dangerous qualities or prop- .80 erties of the oil. l

It is evident that the oil under pressure from the pump line enters the cylinder 5 by way of the main feed pipe 7 flowing by gravity in pressure down through the cylinder 5, the neck 6 and into 85 the trapping compartmentlS of the cylinder 4. The oil column builds up against the perforated disks 17 and 18. Certain of the oil passes directly to the crank case by way of the main feed pipe 10. 'I'he rising oil column in the/cylinder 4 90 develops pressure which is exerted through the pipe 23 on a column of mercury in this pipe and the associated gauge 25. 1 As the oil loses its body or viscosity and breaks down so to 'speak it becomes thin and runs'faster through the asso- 95 ciated disks exerting less and less pressure on the mercury column thus allowing the mercury column to drop and 'indicate the approximate qualityof the oil on the dial of the gauge. It is evident that the disks 17 and 18 may be adjusted 100 with respect to each other to regulate the ow of y oil dependingy on whether the oil is of a heavy, light or medium grade. f

It is thought that the description taken in connection with the drawings will enaqble a clear understanding of the` invention to be had. Therefore, a, more lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that the minor changes coming within the eld of invention claimed may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

In a structure of the class described, a primary cylinder, a stationary apertured partition disk in the lower portion of said cylinder, an adjustable apertured companion disk rotatably engaged with said stationary disk, a manipulating handle carried by said adjustable disk, said cylinder having a removable bottom to provide access t0 said manipulating handle, an oil return pipe connected to the lower portion of the cylinder at a point below said partition, a gauge, a pressure pipe attached to the gauge and the wall-of the cylinder at'a point in the vicinity of said partition, .an auxiliary cylinder attached to the top of the maincylinder through the medium of a restricted communicating neck, a pipe connected to the upper portion of the auxiliary cylinder providing an overflow for said cylinder and also means for maintaining a constant head of oil in said auxiliary cylinder, and a pump supply pipe also connected to the upper portion of the auxiliary cylinder.

' LUTHER C. RITNOUR. 

